Fire-truck and fire-escape.



PA'EENTBD SEPT. 8,1903;

y c. A. BARNES; FIRE TRUCK AND FIRE ESCAPE.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 1 APPLIUATIOK FILED APR. 25. 1901.

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Iva/emf ATTORNEY. @4444 Mama 1; 51

ms NORFHS PETERS cn,

No. 73 ,395. PAIENTBD SEPT. a. was,

0. A. BARNES. FIRE TRUCK AND FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATION'IILED APR. 25. 1901. y

no 1101231.. 7 sums-sum 2.

No. 738,395. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

G. A. BARNES. FIRE TRUCK AND FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-25. 1901. N0 MODEL.

. INVENTOR x A flz/id l (ATTORNEY.

I we NORWS PETERS cu, mow-Lima, WASHING 0N Nd. 738,395. PATENTED SEPT. 8 190? c. A. BARNES. FIRE TRUCK AND FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25. 1901.

N0 MODEL. 7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

04 TT ORNE Y.

110.738395. PATENTED SEPT. s, 1903.

' m A BARNES. I FIRE TRUGK. AND FIRE ESCAPE. Arnmumn m n 23. 2'5. 1901.

H0 MODEL. 7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Q w n $i Hm I n will" IN VEN T OR O4TTORNEY No. 738,395. PATBNTED SEPT. a, 1903.

' GLA. BARNES. j

FIRE TRUCK AND EIEE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25. 1901.

WITNESSES:

I INVENTO fl. Ida/ :3 32%? r 125 .c/] T TORNE Y.

I PATENTED SEPT. a, 19 0s. 0. A. BARNES. FIRETRUOK AND FIRE'ESGAPE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25. 1901.

7 SHEETS-SHEET '1.

, N0 MODEL.

INVENTOR 5%MM fiflmd g WITNESSES:

MTTORNEY.

UNITED STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT OF ICE.

FIRE-TRUCK AND FIRE-ESCAPE.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,395, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed April 25, 1901. Serial No. 5,7,491. (N0 model.)

designed to be used by firemen at fires for the combined purposes of rescuing persons from burning buildings and aiding in extinguishing the fires.

The object of the present invention is to produce an apparatus which shall be eliicient and reliable in its operation, easily and con veniently handled, and at th'e same time shall be compact when not in use, so as to permit the same to be readily housed.

The invention consists, first and essentially, in the combination, with a truck, of a folding tower mounted thereon, means for elevating and lowering said tower, means for sustaining the same in its elevated condition, an elevator in said tower, and means for operating said elevator.

Secondly. The invention consists in the combination, with the truck and the folding tower mounted thereon, of a hose-reel carried on said truck, and means for hoisting and lowering the hose in the tower, and, furthermore, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a fire apparatus embodying any invention, showing the tower in its elevated condition and the elevator lifted to the top of the tower. Fig. 2 is alike View showing thetower in its lowered or folded 7 is a detail view of the pawl-and -ratchet mechanism employed in connection with the towcr operating devices shown in Fig. 5. Fig.

8 is a further enlarged longitudinal section on line 1 l in Fig. 4. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is an 5 5 enlarged detail side view of the mechanism for operating the elevator. Fig. 11 is an en larged side view of the elevator, showing the pivoted vertically-swinging platform in its lowered position and in dotted lines in its raised position. Fig. 12 is an enlarged detailside View of the devicefor leveling the platform of the truck. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 14: is a vertical section on line 2 2 in Fig. 12 viewed toward 6;, the left. Fig. 15 is also a vertical section on line 2 52 viewed toward the right. Fig. 16 is a vertical section on line 3 3 in Fig. 12, and Fig. 17 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the levelinggage.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts. i

A and A represent the front and rear running-gears, respectively, of the truck, upon which is supported a platform 13.

The folding tower comprises two sets of lazy-tongs G O, which are disposed at oppositesides of the platform and are connected by a plurality of pairs of transverse rods a a, and on each rod of the lowermost pair is j ournaled 8o apair of rollers b b. By said rollers the tower is mounted on two pairs of tracks 0 c, secured to the top of the platform 13. To the sides of the platform adjacent to the respective tracks are secured verticallydisposed plates d d,pro-

vided with longitudinal slots e e, in which the outer ends of said lowermost rods a a travel, which slots serve in the attachment of the tower to the truck, but particularly to guide the lower ends of the laz *-tongs in their 00 A movement.

f denotes the main shaft of the tower elevating and lowering mechanism, which shaft extends transversely over the platform and is journaled in suitable boxes 9 g, secured to 9 5 said platform. Adjacent to the shaft f and parallel thereto is an auxiliary shaft 7L, journaled in boxes '6 71, secured to the platform.

To each end of the main shaft f is secured a gearj, and to each end of said auxiliary 10o shaft is secured a pinion 7a, which pinions mesh with the gearsj The main shaft is also provided with a pair of pinions Z Z, each of which meshes with a pair of horizontal shown in Figs. 1 and 3.)

racks m m, disposed above and below the pinion, respectively, and connected loosely to the lowermost rods a a of the lazy-tongs, as indicated at n'nand more clearly shown in Fig. 5.

To each end of the auxiliary shaft h is attached a hand-crank 0 for turning the same, and thus imparting movement to the aforesaid racks and pinions, whereby the lowermost rods a a are moved toward and from each other, thus elevating and lowering the tower.

'19 p denote small rollers which bear on the racks m m for the purpose of maintaining the same in mesh with the pinions Z Z, which rollers are preferablyjournaled on posts q q, secured to the platform B.

To the main shaft f is secured a ratchetwheel r,'and to a support .9 on the platform is pivoted apawl t, engaging said ratchet-wheel, whereby said shaft is prevented from turning back when the tower is being elevated. Said pawl and ratchet-wheel serve also to temporarily sustain the tower in its elevated condition2'. 2., until the jointed braces u u and o 1;, connected to the tower, have been straightened, as will shortly be described. The joints of said braces u u and o 'v consist of hinges, (indicated at 1 and 2, respectively,) as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The braces to u are arranged in two pairs at the front and rear of the tower, respectively. Each pair is inclined toward the tower and is pivoted at its lower end to a transverse rod w, secured in posts. fastened at the corners of the platform B and pivotally connected at the upper end to one of the transverse rods a, which rods connect the upper ends of the lowermost pairs of levers of the lazy-tongs, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the'drawings. The braces '22 r; are disposed in vertical pairs on the front and rear of the tower and extend from the top' of theinclined braces to u to the top of the tower and are pivotally attached to the successive pairs of transverse rods a a, connecting the two sets of lazy-tongs. (Also clearly The lazy-tongs are strengthened and stiffened by rods yy,applied in the well-known manner, and I also prefer to provide the braces with suitable devices for strengthening the same. (Not shown.) 2 represents a supplemental jointed brace,

I wh'ich is pivoted at its lower end to one of the lowermost rods a and at its upper end to the rod a next above and aids in sustaining the tower in its elevated condition.

Each pair of vertical braces'v o is connected at the joints by a transverse bar a, and extending at right angles from said bar is an arm 3, provided with an eye Z) at its inner end, and each brace of the'inclined pairs has attached to it an inwardly-projecting arm 0, provided at its end with an eye d. (See Fig.1.)

On the lower sections of each pair of inclined braces is journaled a transverse shaft e, to which is secured a drum f. To each of said drums is attached one end of a cable or ropeg, which cables pass freely through the shown in Fig. 10.

aforesaid eyes I) and d and are attached at their other ends to the topmost rods a a of the tower. The shafts e of the drums are each provided with hand-cranks h h for turning the drums, whereby the cables are tightened orloosened, so as to straighten the braces after the tower has been elevated to sustain the same and to relax the braces, so as to permit the tower to be lowered. To maintain the cables g g tight, I provide the shafts e 6 with ratchet-wheels z" i and pivot-pawls jj to the traces u, which pawls engage the ratchetwheels to prevent the drums from unwinding.

B B denote two chain ladders which extend from the truck to the top of the tower and are disposed parallel and between the braces an and o e. Said ladders are fastened at their lower ends to transverse rods 7c k, secured to the lower ends of the braces u u, and are fastened at their upper ends to the aforesaid topmost transverse rods a a of the tower. Thus by reason of said ladders being flexible the operation of the tower and braces is not interfered with.

On top of the tower is mounted a jointed metallic frame 0, which may be of any suitable construction and is pivotally connected to the topmost rods a aof the tower, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings.

D represents the elevator, which is disposed in the tower and is operated by means of a pair of cables or ropes Z Z and constitutes the fire-escape. Said cables Z Z are attached at one end toadrum m, mounted on atransverse shaft 01, journaled in brackets q g on the underside of the platform B, and they extend under wheels or rollers r r, suitably pivoted on the under side of said platform and up through openings 3 s and t t in the platforms B and 0, respectively, which latter is supported on the platform B by means of posts 19 p, as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The said cables extend from the openings over pulleys u it, fastened to the frame 0 on top of the tower, and are attached at their other ends to a horizontal bar o, secured to the top ofthe elevator. lVhen the tower is in its lowered or folded condition, the elevator rests upon the supplemental platform 0, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Said elevator drops by gravity and is controlled in that respect by a brake comprising a wheel 21;, fastened to the aforesaid shaft n, and a flexible metallic band so, embracing aportion of the periphery of said wheel, which band is rigidly connected at one end to the platform B, as indicated at y, and connected at its other end to an operating-lever a, as shown at (1 The said operating-lever is pivoted to the platform B, as indicated at W, and is provided with a vertically-disposed coiled spring c which is connected at its lower end to the band-attaching end of the lever and at its upper end to said plate (1, which spring aids in holding the band into frictional contact with the wheel 10, as clearly The elevator is provided with a pair of vertical guide cables or ropes IIO 5 on the same.

10 formed on posts fastened to said plat- 9 form, as clearly shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. Said drums g g are provided with suitable means for turning the same so as to tighten the cables e 6 and to maintain the same tight the shafts h h are provided with ratchet-wheels 15 k which are engaged by pawls or dogs Z P, pivoted to the arms 21 The elevator is provided with a verticallyswinging platform m pivoted to the floor thereof, which platform is thereby adapted to be placed in position to allow persons to walk from the windows or roof of a building to said elevator. To sustain the platform in said position,lprovideapair of longitudinally- 2' 5 slotted arms n 073, pivotally attached to the platform and to the elevator bymeans of pins 0 0 projecting on the inside of said elevator. The said arms are adapted to slide on the pins, whereby the platform can be swung to 0 vertical position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8, so as not to come in contact with the tower when the elevator is being dropped. I prefer to provide said platform with side rails 19 13 which afford safety to persons walking The elevator is provided with a door g on the side opposite the platform to allow persons brought down in the elevator toleave the same. 7 It will be understood that additional doors maybe provided on said ele- 0 vator, if desired' Bymeans of the aforesaid ladders B B firemen can quickly and easily climb to the elevator, when it is raised, in case help is required by persons entering the elevator from a building.

5 I prefer to provide the two sets of lazy-tongs with transversely-disposed coiled springs 1? 1- as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which springs aid in elevating the tower.

D is a reel mounted on a transverse shaft F, j ournaled in brackets 10 a on the rear end of the truck, on which reel is carried the usual fire-hose o Adjacent to the reel is a windlass D to which is attached one end of a rope.

or cable 10 which extends through an eye 10 on the platform and over a pulley w, fas-.

tened to the aforesaid frame 0, mounted on top of the tower. The other end of said rope or cable is intended to be attached to said hose, whereby the same can be hoisted in the tower, and thus be readily carried into a windrawings.

Incase the ground on which the truck stands while the tower is elevated is such as to cause the tower to lean to either side I employ a leveling device which operates to carry the said tower into erect position. Said device is illustrated in Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 of the drawings and comprises a horizontal bar or beam 0. secured detachably and longitudinally adjustable to the under side of the platform B by means of suitably-shaped irons b firmly bolted to the platform. Said bar projects from the side of the truck, and to its outer end is hinged a vertical arm 0 as shown at (1 which arm is provided with vertical guides c c" in which is disposed a post f bearing on the ground. The arm 0 is provided also with a bracing-rod g which is pivotally connected to the arm, as shown at 71. and at its opposite end to a shoe i which slides in a slotted plate or track f on the under side of the bar a and through said shoe passes a set-screw which engages said plate to sustain the arm in its vertical position. 'When the leveling device is not in use, the arm is to be folded against the under side of the bar and may be held in the latter position by any suitable means, such as a hook, (not shown,) and the bar is to be detached and placed upon the platform.

To the back of thepost f is secured a vertical rack k which meshes with a pinion Z secured to a transverse shaft m passing through and j ournaled in the arm 0 and to said shaft are attached hand-cranks g for turning the same, whereby the said arm is made to slide vertically on the post, thereby leveling the platform to carry the tower to erect position. To retain the platform in its level position, I provide the shaft m with a ratchet-wheel 0 which engages a pawl 1J3, pivoted to said arm.

On the front end of the truck is provided a leveling-gage the detail construction of which is shown in Fig. 17 of the drawings, and it comprising a casing w, in which is suspended a pendulum I), provided at its lower end with a point 0, adapted to register with a similar point (Z below it.

A represents a jumping-net which is hung on a frame e pivotally connected to a horizontal bar f which is locatedat one side of the tower, whereby the not can be swung up against the tower when not in use. Said bar f is formed with two longitudinal slots 9 g, which receive the ends of one of the pairs of transverse rods a a, and to the ends of said rods are applied nuts h M, which securely hold the said bar on the rods, said rods sliding in the slots when the tower is being, elevated or lowered, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. I prefer to provide the net with a safety-rail 2' which is secured to the aforesaid bar f The net is sustained in horizontal'position by means of ropesfif, fastened to the outer edge of the frame 6 and to the tower at any suitable part. Said ropes are provided with coiled springs a e at their attachment to said tower,

whereby the frame-will yield when a person strikes the net, thus overcoming all jar and strain.

I do not limit myself to the detail construction of the various devices and mechanisms shown and described in my improved apparatus, as the same are subject of many modifieations without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a folding tower comprising two sets of lazytongs and provided with means for elevating and lowering the same, of a frame pivotally connected at one side to said tower and carrying a jumpingnet, and ropes or cables attached at one end to the outer side of said frame and at their opposite ends to the tower by means of coiled springs for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a folding tower comprising two sets of lazy-tongs and jointed braces pivotally connected to said tower, and arranged in pairs, transverse bars connecting said pairs of braces at their joints, arms extending at right angles from said bars and provided with eyes, of flexible ladders carried on said tower, means for elevating and lowering the tower, cables or ropes connected to the top of the tower and passing through said eyes, and means for operating said cables whereby the said braces are straightened to sustain the tower in elevated condition, and are relaxed to permit the tower to be lowered substantially as described.

3. The combination with a folding tower formed of lazy-tongs and means for elevating and lowering the same, of a frame connected to'said tower and carrying a jumping-net, and ropes or cables attached at one end to the outer side of said frame and at the opposite end to the tower by elastic means for the purpose set forth.

4:. The combination with a folding tower, comprising lazy-tongs and jointed braces pivotally connected thereto, of means for elevating and lowering said tower, transverse bars connecting said braces at their joints, arms extending from said bar, cable engaging means carried by the arms, cables attached at one end to the top of the tower and engaged intermediate their length by said cable-engaging means, and means for drawing said cables taut for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with a folding tower, comprising lazy-tongs, jointed braces pivotally connected thereto and arranged in pairs, transverse bars connecting said pairs, arms extending from said bars, and cable-engaging eyes carried by said arms, of means for elevating and lowering said tower, cables attached at one end and passed through said engaging eyes, and means for drawing said cables taut and releasing the same for permitting the tower to be raised and lowered, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a truck, of a folding tower mounted thereon and comprising two sets of lazy-tongs connected by pairs of transverse rods, means on the truck for elevating and lowering said tower, a barprovided with longitudinal slots to receive one of said pairs of rods whereby it is secured to the tower, inwhich slots said rods are adapted to slide, a vertically-swinging frame pivotallyattached to said bar, and a jumping-net fastened to said frame substantially as described.

7. The combination with a truck, of a folding tower mounted thereon, comprising sets of lazy-tongs connected by pairs of transverse rods, means for elevating and lowering said tower, a longitudinally-slotted bar for receiving one of said pairs of rods, said rods being adapted to slide in the slots of said bar, a frame carried by said bar, and a jumping-net supported by said frame, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a truck, of a folding tower mounted thereon, and comprising oppositely-disposed sets of lazy-tongs, means for elevating and lowering the same, inwardlyinclined jointed braces also arranged in pairs, and pivotally connected to the tower and truck, vertical, jointed braces pivoted to the tower and extending from the inclined braces to the top of the tower, transverse bars connectin g the respective pairs of braces at their joints, arms extending at right angles from said bars and provided with eyes, cables passing through said eyes, and means for operating said cables whereby the braces may be straightened for sustaining the tower in its elevated condition, and may be relaxed for permitting lowering of the tower, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a truck, of a folding tower mounted thereon and comprising sets of lazy-tongs disposed on said trucks, means for elevating and lowering the same, inwardly-inclined jointed braces extending from the truck to the top of the lowermost pair of levers of the lazy-tongs, vertical, jointed braces, extending from the inclined braces to the top of the tower, all of said braces having pivotal connections, means extending from said braces for straightening and relaxing the same, and cables engaging said straightening means, substantially as described. 10. The combination, with atruck, of a folding tower mounted on said truck and comprising sets of lazy-tongs disposed on the truck and connected by pairs of transverse rods, means for elevating and lowering said tower, inwardly-inclined jointed braces pivoted at their lower end to the truck and at their upper end to the pair of rods connecting the top of the lowermost pair of levers of the lazytongs, a series of vertical,jointed braces above said inclined braces, the lowermost of which vertical braces being pivoted. at their lower end to said latter pair of rods, and at the upper ends to the uppermost pair of rods of the next higher pair of levers, transverse rods connecting the respective pairs of braces at their joints, arms extending at right angles from said bars and provided with eyes, suitably-journaled drums, cables attached to said drums and extending to and attached at the top of the tower and passing through said eyes,whercby rotation of the drums is adapted to straighten said cables for sustaining the tower in its elevated condition and reverse rotation of said drums will relax the cables for permitting lowering of the tower, and ladders connected to said braces, substantially as described.

11. The combination With a truck provided with a platform, of a folding tower mounted on said platform and comprising sets of lazytongs, a plurality of pairs of transverse rods connecting the sets of lazy-tongs, slotted plates on said platform, means engaging the slots of said plates for guiding the lowermost pair of rods, pairs of longitudinally-movable horizontal racks pivotally connected to the lowermost rods, an actuatng-pinion between the racks of each pair, means beneath one of the racks of each pair supporting the same in mesh with said pinion, and means above the other retaining the same in mesh with the pinion, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a truck provided with a platform, a folding tower mounted on said platform and comprising two sets of lazytongs, and means on said platform for elevating and lowering said tower, of a leveling device comprising atransverse bar projecting from and detachably secu red to the platform, an arm pivotally connected to the outer end of said bar and provided with vertical guides, means to sustain said arm in vertical position, a post disposed to slide in said guides and to bear 011 the ground, and provided with a vertical rack, a transverse shaft journaled in the aforesaid arm and provided with a pinion meshing with said rack, a ratchet-wheel secured to said shaft, a pawl engaging said ratchet-wheel, and hand-cranks secured to said shaft substantially as described.

CHARLES A. BARNES. lVitnesses:

J. J. LAASS, II. B. SMITH. 

